Path 1 Network Technologies Inc., a leading provider of products that enable the transmission of broadcast-quality video over IP networks, announced that it has received its first order for its Vx8000 video gateway. The order, valued in excess of $375,000, is from a major broadcast operator for use in the U.S. market. The customer will use the Vx8000 gateways to facilitate the reliable transport of all TV broadcasts (including high-definition programs) between its major broadcast centers and primary distribution facilities. This private IP network, operating 24/7, will be used to transport the customer's complete channel lineup, which is then distributed to all of its customers across the United States. The order is scheduled to be filled within the next several weeks.

The Vx8000s, which will be used in this deployment, are multi-port, bi-directional IP video gateways for live broadcast applications. Designed for maximum flexibility, these products enable broadcasters, cable TV operators, IPTV service providers and satellite broadcasters to deliver real-time, broadcast-quality MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 video in both Standard (SD) and High Definition (HD) formats to remote locations over public and private IP networks. By integrating the Vx8000, terrestrial and satellite TV operators can inexpensively enhance their real-time video capabilities and scale their support for these services as demand grows over time.

The Vx8000 uses the latest standards-compliant techniques for forward error correction (FEC), which are critical for live broadcast applications. This FEC scheme is designed to compensate for IP network jitter, packet loss, duplicate packets, and out-of-order packets, so that video quality and integrity are not compromised as content is delivered in real time. With its multi-port and bi-directional capabilities, a single Vx8000 supports eight simultaneous video streams that would otherwise require eight separate IP gateways to deliver the same functionality. Because it is standards-based, the Vx8000 is also fully interoperable with virtually any type of networking equipment and can be deployed into any existing broadcast infrastructure.